— Kalpataru Projects International Limited highlights

THE installation of transmission lines and substations to support the highly anticipated 300 megawatts (MW) gas-to-shore project at Wales, West Bank Demerara, is around 38 per cent completed.

This was according to Kalpataru Projects International Limited’s (KPIL)’s, D.C. Babu, who provided an update to the Guyana Chronicle on the sidelines of the recently concluded Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo.

The contract for the provision of Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Services to see the installation of transmission lines and substations for the integrated NGL plant and 300 MW power plant at Wales was signed in July of last year by the firm and is expected to be completed later this year.

The company is a leading EPC firm out of India that has made its mark in infrastructural projects like power transmission and distribution, and other notable projects with a footprint of over 70 countries across the world.

With the award of the Guyanese contract last year, the company is aiming to establish a stronger presence here.

According to Babu, piling foundations for the transmission towers, among other works, started some time back in several areas, and local companies are being used for these works.

As part of the project, substations will be placed at Goedverwagtin on the East Coast of Demerara and at the Wales Industrial site, while transmission lines will run along the area.

He added that as soon as the gas-to-energy project comes on stream, it will be commissioned, and power will be distributed along the lines thus aiding in the reduction of the cost of power.

The project was initially awarded at a cost of US$159 million and has since been revised to some US$169.4 million and the project is set to be completed in December.

During the signing of the contract last year, Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips said that more than 60 per cent of the people of Guyana will benefit from this project and will bring reliable and stable electricity for over 500,000 Guyanese at a cost that is half of what is being paid now.